VLA: What else is there to see near VLA (Socorro)???

We are doing a road trip starting from Albuquerque. Our first stop in the VLA. The second thing I want to see is the Acoma Pueblo, which is closer to Grants.

Looking at the map, we will be going a LONG ways out of the way to see the VLA. That would be fine if there was something else to see or do.

Also, the shortest way to get from the VLA to Acoma Pueblo is to basically go back the way we came towards Albuquerque. Retracing our steps makes the detour for VLA that much more obvious.

I ponderded going west on highway 60 from the VLA, and then up highway 117. That would keep us from retracing our steps, but I can%26#39;t find any indication of anything to see or do along that route. So, it would just be a longer, slower loop with no benefit.

I%26#39;m stumped!

After Acoma Pueblo, we will be heading NW towards Mesa Verde in Colorado.

Any help would be appreciated!

VLA: What else is there to see near VLA (Socorro)???

The VLA is an interesting place, worth the drive. There are a few things to do if you head west from VLA. Pie Town for lunch or just pie, El Malpais National Monument lava flow area, and even over to El Morro National Monument. Also maybe a visit to NM Tech University in Socorro.

VLA: What else is there to see near VLA (Socorro)???

If you are doing your trip over Winter, I%26#39;d recommend the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, about 20 miles south of Socorro. Great place to watch the thousands of snow geese, sandhill cranes, ducks, etc. arrive before sunset, and depart the marshes at dawn.

You%26#39;d want to arrive at the Bosque about 3:00pm (there is a 15-mile loop road on good gravel), and return the following morning for the best show by 6:30am. Motels in Socorro. The most used by birders is the Motel 6, at the south end of town, and ';immediately'; accessible to I-25 south.

If you%26#39;re not into ';nature,'; disregard the above, LOL.

You can cut off some backtracking from Socorro by taking NM-6, northwest from Los Lunas on I-25, over to I-40.

Acoma to Mesa Verde, you might want to see Chaco Canyon%26#39;s impressive, stone, Anasazi villages, if the weather is good. (The roads from both I-40 to the south, and US550 from the north, can be treacherous during bad weather however.)

Don%26#39;t miss the VLA visitor center. I wouldn%26#39;t make the long detour just to see the ';dishes'; even if they are much larger then you think. It%26#39;s a bit of a boring loop though. As Casa has mentioned, in Pie Town they really have great pies. The drive on 117 is a bit boring the first part from Quemado but scenic the moment you%26#39;ll reach the outskirts of El Malpais NM. Worth to stop a couple of times. It will be a long day driving this loop and visit Acoma Pueblo same day. Don%26#39;t worry about roadconditions, both us60 and nm117 are in good condition. No services between Quemado and Grants though.

Tet